Hi GuysI was driving home from a mates place this arvo when i noticed a bunch of little trees growing on the side of the road roughly 5kms out of town. After closer inspection I realised that they are a crabapple. In total I found 5 some bigger than others but all a fairly good size. This one for example was maybe 2.5m high and about maybe 40cm around the base of the trunk.

crabapple 2.jpg

crabapple 1.jpg

From What I have read and seen these make great bonsai so I guess my question is when is the best time to dig something like these up and how far can I cut them back if or when I do. Any comments are welcome.

Damian

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Last edited by Damian79 on February 20th, 2013, 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be like water, my friend.”

Would it be wise for Damian to start preparing any trees now? trunk chop to get lower branching and backbudding, dig and loosen soil around roots, chop large roots to encourage feeder roots closer in (probably depends on rainfall or if you can water occasionally)??? ... these are only things I have read, someone with practical experience may be able to confirm.

Good luck Damian Hawthorne's have great floral display but sharp spikes as well

Ryan

Cheers, RyanToday I know more than I did yesterday, but less than I will tomorrow

Hi Rainfall here is unpredictable at best. Watering may be an option I guess. I think a trunk chop is definately needed as its about 2.5m tall (the others not so big). Im not experienced at pre-digging so I wouldnt know where to start. Please help.

Damian, I'm really a newb to collecting too. Maybe a seasoned yamadorite can comment. But I have prepared some big trees for collection recently. From what I've read if you don't pre dig you have a very high chance of killing the tree (unless its an olive). This is because the tree survives by its feeder roots that, in the case of a large tree, are some distance from the trunk. Unless you plan to find and lift the feeders and plant them in separate pots (they wouldn't fit in a nursery pot) then you must encourage feeders close to the trunk. To predig just dig around the tree until you find the large roots. Saw then off. Rebury, water and wait to collect. Takes a little time but not hard really... Good luck!

Damian79 wrote:Hi Rainfall here is unpredictable at best. Watering may be an option I guess. I think a trunk chop is definately needed as its about 2.5m tall (the others not so big). Im not experienced at pre-digging so I wouldnt know where to start. Please help.

Grab a Shovel and drive it into the ground a few times around the tree about 1/2 m or so out from the trunk base. this will cut a few of the larger / longer roots and promote them to back shoot closer to the trunk. By doing this you will have more feeder roots to support the tree when you dig, but beware these roots are easily broken off at collecting time too.